The ENI Car Pack
1978 Piaggio Ape 600 Volante - Cult Classics
Italian manufacturer Piaggio first introduced the Vespa-based Ape in 1948. Since then, this iconic three-wheeled vehicle has been continuously upgraded, and millions of exemplars of its countless variations have been produced all over the world. The Ape 600 was the first to receive a version with steering-wheel-and-pedals controls, as opposed to the usual scooter-style handlebars - hence the "Volante" model name. Its 190cc two-stroke engine isn't exactly a powerhouse, so you may want to keep as close to the kerb as possible - but it's a worthy tradeoff to drive such a piece of motoring history.
Clue: cherished from Amalfi to Bangalore, and beyond!
1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Le Mans Speciale - Classic Racers
In 1938, Alfa Romeo tried to tackle the prestigious Le Mans 24 hours race with a one-off aerodynamic
berlinetta based on the successful 8C racecar: the car led in a spectacular fashion for most of the race and had accrued a 14-laps advantage on the second place Delahaye, when it retired with mechanical problems. After the race, the car remained in private hands until 1987, then Alfa Romeo bought it back to include it in the marque's stable of vintage racecars. Despite the fact that it was designed in an era of open-top cars with cycle fenders and exposed lights, the streamlined body of the Speciale has a drag coefficient that rivals many modern cars, and with a 220hp supercharged straight-8 engine providing the necessary gumption, this is a car with speed way ahead of its time.
Clue: Le Mans may have broken her heart, but she's still going strong.
1970 Mitsubishi Colt Galant GTO MR - Cult Classics
Don't let its looks fool you, this car's as Japanese as they come. It was originally designed to compete in GP racing, but like with many other cars bearing the "GTO" name - the Ferrari 288 springs to mind - the world of motorsports changed before its debut, forcing Mitsubishi to mothball the program. Despite that, it was produced for seven years, and in the hands of privateers enjoyed moderate success in rally racing. At the heart of the top of the line MR was a twin-carb, DOHC 1.6 litre four-cylinder engine good for 125 hp - not enough to rival the American muscle cars to which the styling of the GTO harkens back, but still plenty considering the car's weight, which is under a tonne.
Clue: a fine example of memetic variation.
2017 Renault Twingo GT - Hot Hatches
Since its introduction in 1993, the Twingo has always been well liked by press and public alike for its practicality and economicity. But with the GT, Renault is trying to conquer the praise of an entirely different crowd: the diminutive rear-mounted three cylinder engine has been upgraded by the Renault Sport division - which is also responsible for running the French manufacturer's F1 team - and now packs some serious punch: 110 hp, and a staggering - respective to the its displacement, which is just shy of a litre - 170 Nm of torque. Coupled with various chassis upgrades and the unique RR layout, this makes the GT a supermini with maxi performance.
Clue: sometimes, it's smart to be different!
2002 Toyota MR-S - Asian Sports Cars
The third and last generation of Toyota's mid-engined sportscar for the masses featured a soft top (a first for the model), and was powered by an inline-4 naturally aspirated engine with variable valve timing, producing just over 140hp. The power output left many owners wanting for more and finding it in the Celica's
2ZZ engine, but the
ZZW30 is widely praised as the best-handling car to wear the "MR" badge, and even ten years after its discontinuation, it's cherished by sportscars fan all over the world for its dynamics and exotic appeal alike.
Clue: it's (almost) huge in Pennsylvania.
2018 Alpine A110 Première Edition - European Sports Cars
The Alpine A110 marks the long-awaited return of its manufacturer on the market after a leave of absence that lasted almost 30 years. The prominent built-in foglights and the side scallops are just two of many elements in the car's styling that serve the purpose of making the connection to its legendary rally-winning namesake irrefutable. The formula underpinning the car is also somewhat reminiscent of the original, as the lightweight berlinette - built almost entirely out of aluminum, to keep weight close to a tonne - is powered by a rear-mounted Renault 1.8 litre engine, which sends its 250hp and 320 Nm of torque through a Getrag 7-speed gearbox to the rear wheels. The result is a car with excellent balance and very respectable performance, which is set to compete with the best mid-tier sportscars out there.
Clue: doing a hard reset is sometimes the only solution to a problem.
2017 Lamborghini Huracán Performante - Extreme Track Toys
This is what peak performance looks like. Forget all you knew about the Huracán: this special version makes ample use of carbon fiber to shed 70 kilos (ten of which used to be exhaust silencing) and puts 640 hp - 30 more than the standard model - to the ground. That should be enough, right? Well, think again: the engineers at Lamborghini fitted magnetorheological dampers, a dynamic steering system and an incredibly sophisticated active aero system - called ALA, for Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva - to guarantee unmatched stability and unparalleled handling characteristics to the drivers of this exclusive track machine. The results speak for themselves: the Performante goes from a standstill to 100 in less than three seconds, and has completed a full lap of the infamous Nurburgring Nordschleife in under 7 minutes - a record time that's left many more accomplished (and far more expensive) hypercars in the dust.
Clue: fly on the wings of technological prowess.
